Mass Effect 2: Where in the Galaxy is Vido Santiago?
by Charlie Chatham
Summary: Vido Santiago learns that you can run, but you can't hide.


The taste of stale alcohol triggered Vido's gag response. Distant thuds reverberated deep inside his forehead. The headache grew stronger with each pulse. He tried to get up but something kept him in place. His eyes snapped open. The bright light from a single light bulb above him stung his eyes and sent spikes of pain through his head. He tugged at the restraints only to feel cold steal cut into the skin of his wrists and ankles.

*clop*clop*Clop*

"Vosque...Vosque...Vosque is that you? Where are you? Where the hell am I?" asked Vido. He remembered a meeting with Vosque, followed by a visit from his favorite asari companion and then, nothing. Now he was in his boxers, strapped to a cold metal chair.

*Clop*Clop*Clop*

"Whose is there? When I get out of here I'll-"

A husky yet feminine voice came from the darkness, "Don't worry Mr. Santiago, you will soon be on your way."

Vido squinted, but managed only to strain his eyes and worsen his headache.

*Clop*Clop*Clop*

The figure circled behind Vido, "The Blue Suns have been very busy of late; striking deals with Collectors, fighting of vorcha incursions, creating merc coalitions, and oh yes, planning the odd coup. I'm afraid that my tolerance of the current Sun's leadership is at an end, Mr. Santiago."

"Aria? Is that you? Listen, I did not authorized Tarak's plan. All he had to do was convince the other merc bands to take out Archangel. After that everyone was supposed to go their own way," said Vido.

*Clop*Clop*Clop*

"Are you telling me that the great Vido Santiago lost control of his own men? That he allowed them to go rogue on my station?" asked the voice in the darkness.

"Greed makes people stupid. You know that," said Vido. The metal chair rattled as he pushed against the restraints. He stopped when he drew hot, sticky blood.

*Clop*Clop*Clop*

"Greed makes the dumb, dumber, Mr. Santiago, and fear turns coward like you into complete morons. You should have known better than to come to my station without even paying your respects. At least Darner Vosque had the wherewithal to arrange such a meeting. He clarified the Suns current situation to my satisfaction," said the voice from the darkness.

Spittle flew from Vido's mouth, "That bastard. I always knew he was an ambitious son of a bitch. Okay, so you got me, now what? Are you going to torture me, shoot me, what?"

"None of the above, Mr. Santiago. You are simply a means for me to settle a debt and here comes the man to collect. Goodbye Mr. Santiago."

*Clop*clop*clop*

*klunk*klunk*Klunk*

Vido felt lighter. Someone had turned the artificial gravity off. The only thing that kept him in place was the the seat's restraints.

*Klunk*Klunk*Klunk*

A figure wearing battle scarred yellow armor stepped into the cone of light projected from the light bulb above. Vido saw mismatched eyes, one green, the other a cybernetic gray, through the helmet's visor. Vido clenched. He wasn't about to give the bastard the satisfaction of seeing him soil himself.

"Zaeed," said Vido through clenched teeth.

"Vido," responded Zaeed a low guttural growl.

"Get it over Zaeed," said Vido.

"You know, at first I just wanted to shoot you, but you got to handed to the asari, they turn everything into an art form, even killing. Specially killing. Goddamned if this won't be a thorough execution," said Zaeed.

The restrains popped open. Zaeed kicked Vido in the stomach before he could push himself free. Vido flew end of ever down into the darkness.

"Goodbye you treacherous bastard. Save me a seat in Hell," said Zaeed.

Vido felt a rush of air.

A blue dot appeared where Zaeed stood followed by a flash.

Then darkness.

Months later a maintenance drone found human remains splattered against one of Omega trailing asteroids. A doctor in one of the station's many morgues noted the multiple lacerations, vacuum exposure and the entry and exit wounds in the body's cranium. He concluded that all where all equally possible causes of death. Without an ID, no one came forward to claim the Omega's latest John Doe. This time the body was fired into the darkness in an unmarked coffin.


End file.
